Vancouver Airport Taser Killing of Dziekanski by Police

I just heard about this and thought I would share it with you. Apparently a Polish Immigrant (who speaks little English) arrives at Canadian customs. He becomes irrate (unsure if he has a mental condition here) after being at the airport for hours for no apparent reason. He does not threaten police, but merely holds a table, slams his laptop on the floor and shouts (again he appears to have a possible mental/learning problem - just my perception). His mother is trying to find him in the airport, and no one offers any help.
To summarize he gets tasered 4 times, and then he dies. He was there for 10 hours, without food etc, and unable to call for assistance as there was no polish interpretor at the airport (at an international airport).

Thoughts?

(video is long so you may want to "jump" parts)

Full story here:

An eyewitness's video recording of a man dying after being stunned with a Taser by police on Oct. 14 at Vancouver International Airport has been released to the public.

Robert Dziekanski is jolted by a shot from an RCMP Taser.Robert Dziekanski is jolted by a shot from an RCMP Taser.
(Paul Pritchard)

The 10-minute video recording clearly shows four RCMP officers talking to Robert Dziekanski while he is standing with his back to a counter and with his arms lowered by his sides, but his hands are not visible.

About 25 seconds after police enter the secure area where he is, there is a loud crack that sounds like a Taser shot, followed by Dziekanski screaming and convulsing as he stumbles and falls to the floor.

Another loud crack can be heard as an officer appears to fire one more Taser shot into Dziekanski.

As the officers kneel on top of Dziekanski and handcuff him, he continues to scream and convulse on the floor.

One officer is heard to say, "Hit him again. Hit him again," and there is another loud cracking sound.

Police have said only two Taser shots were fired, but a witness said she heard up to four Taser shots.

Robert Dziekanski falls to the floor as an RCMP officer looks on.Robert Dziekanski falls to the floor as an RCMP officer looks on.
(Paul Pritchard)

A minute and half after the first Taser shot was fired Dziekanski stops moaning and convulsing and becomes still and silent.

Shortly after, the officers appear to be checking his condition and one officer is heard to say, "code red."

The video ends shortly after.

Minutes later, ambulance attendants arrived but their efforts to revive Dziekanski were unsuccessful and he was declared dead.

RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dale Carr said no one can judge what happened to Dziekanski by just watching the video.

"It's just one piece of evidence, one person's view. There are many people that we have spoken to," RCMP spokesman Cpl. Dale Carr said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

Four RCMP officers subdue Robert Dziekanski after stunning him with a Taser on Oct. 14 at Vancouver airport.Four RCMP officers subdue Robert Dziekanski after stunning him with a Taser on Oct. 14 at Vancouver airport.
(Paul Pritchard)

"What I urge is that those watching the video, take note of that. Put what they've seen aside for the time being. And wait to hear the totality of the evidence at the time of the inquest," Carr said.

But retired superintendent Ron Foyle, a 33-year veteran of the Vancouver police who saw the video tape, said he didn't know "why it ever became a police incident."

"It didn't seem that he made any threatening gestures towards them," Foyle said.

Much of the video was shot through the glass walls that separate the international arrivals lounge from a secure area outside the Canada Customs exit.

The video was recorded in three segments. The first segment shows Dziekanski before police arrive.

He is clearly agitated, yelling in Polish, and appears to be sweating. He can be seen taking office chairs and putting them in front of the security doors. He then picks up a small table, which he holds, while a woman in the arrivals lounge calmly speaks to him in apparent effort to calm him down.

Before police arrived, Robert Dziekanski picked up a small table and put it in the doorway between the customs exit area and a public lounge.Before police arrived, Robert Dziekanski picked up a small table and put it in the doorway between the customs exit area and a public lounge.
(Paul Pritchard)

In the second segment, Dziekanski picks up a computer and throws it to the ground. Three airport personnel arrive and block the exit from the secure area, but Dziekanski retreats inside and does not threaten them.
Officers arrive in lounge

Then four RCMP officers arrive in the lounge. Someone can be heard mentioning the word Tasers.

Someone replies, "Yes," as the officers approach the security doors.

Police have said repeatedly that there were only three RCMP officers involved in the incident, but the video shows four men in RCMP uniforms.

People in the lounge can be heard clearly telling the police Dziekanski speaks no English, only Russian. His mother later said he only spoke Polish.

Police enter the secure area with no problems and can be seen with Dziekanski standing calmly talking with officers. They appear to direct him to stand against a wall, which he does.

As he is standing there, one of the officers shoots him with a Taser.

RCMP officers have also said police did not use pepper spray because of the large number of people at the airport at the time. But the video shows Dziekanski standing alone with the four officers in an otherwise empty area, which is separated from the public area by a thick glass wall.
Pritchard hired lawyer

Paul Pritchard, right, accompanied by his lawyer, Paul Pearson, at a recent press conference, said that he feels police are trying to manipulate the truth.Paul Pritchard, right, accompanied by his lawyer, Paul Pearson, at a recent press conference, said that he feels police are trying to manipulate the truth. (CBC)

Paul Pritchard shot the video with his digital camera, but afterward he surrendered it to police for their investigation on a promise that they would return it within 48 hours.

The next day, police told Pritchard they would not be returning the recording as promised.

Carr previously stated investigators kept the video longer than they anticipated in order to protect the integrity of the police investigation while they interviewed witnesses.

Saying he feared a coverup by police, Pritchard then engaged a lawyer to start legal proceedings to reclaim the recording. Police returned the recording to him on Wednesday.

Dziekanski, 40, died on Oct. 14, hours after he arrived at Vancouver International Airport. He was on his way to Kamloops to live with his mother in the B.C. Interior.

Robert Dziekanski with his mother Zofia Cisowski in Poland, before she emigrated to Canada.Robert Dziekanski with his mother Zofia Cisowski in Poland, before she emigrated to Canada.

The Polish immigrant arrived from Europe the previous day around 4 p.m., but for some unknown reason he did not clear customs until after midnight.

Dziekanski's mother had already returned home to Kamloops after waiting for several hours at the airport. She claims airport officials offered her no help locating her son.

The RCMP's integrated homicide investigation team, the B.C. coroner's service, the Vancouver International Airport Authority and the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP are each conducting their own investigations into the incident.

Robert Dziekanski with his mother Zofia Cisowski in Poland, before she emigrated to Canada.

He is not becoming 'physically threatening' per se, however his actions are above just being a little 'irrate'.

The police didn't shoot him or anything, they just tasered him, esp. since he didn't speak English and was not able to communicate they were just being conservative. Maybe using pepper spray would have been a better alternative to the tasers.

He is not becoming 'physically threatening' per se, however his actions are above just being a little 'irrate'.

The police didn't shoot him or anything, they just tasered him, esp. since he didn't speak English and was not able to communicate they were just being conservative. Maybe using pepper spray would have been a better alternative to the tasers.

In almost every taser video i have seen (especially excepting the "dont tase me bro" guy), the police officer in question has used the taser as a means of torture rather than as a means of subduing an individual. They pull the stun trigger without a care.

you cant taze someone multiple times and expect them to be ok. I have seen 3 videos where the tazered individuals were simply unable to move after being tazed back to back multiple times. One of these videos included a grandma.

giving tasers to police is ridiculous. they are using it as a toy. they are having fun with it. i dont understand why anyone would condone giving a torture device to a group of individuals with a terrible record of self control.

In almost every taser video i have seen (especially excepting the "dont tase me bro" guy), the police officer in question has used the taser as a means of torture rather than as a means of subduing an individual. They pull the stun trigger without a care.

you cant taze someone multiple times and expect them to be ok. I have seen 3 videos where the tazered individuals were simply unable to move after being tazed back to back multiple times. One of these videos included a grandma.

giving tasers to police is ridiculous. they are using it as a toy. they are having fun with it. i dont understand why anyone would condone giving a torture device to a group of individuals with a terrible record of self control.

In this video he isn't actively threatening the police or anyone. Hes upset, confused and has been at the airport for 10 hours and doesn't speak English. Why they couldn't just try and calm him down instead of surrounding him or simply subdue him by hand or even pepper spray is beyond me. No one actually tries to lead him in the right direction either to sit or whatever, they just stand around surrounding him.

Probably the decision could have been better. Tasers are not quite as mild as people would like to think. Your heart beats in a very precise rhythm and essentially being 'eletrocuted' greatly disrupts this.

Unless there is a weapon (really a gun IMO), they should pepper spray. It is safer, plus I think you'll find out that a essentially 'blind' person does not really offer too much danger.

In almost every taser video i have seen (especially excepting the "dont tase me bro" guy), the police officer in question has used the taser as a means of torture rather than as a means of subduing an individual. They pull the stun trigger without a care.

you cant taze someone multiple times and expect them to be ok. I have seen 3 videos where the tazered individuals were simply unable to move after being tazed back to back multiple times. One of these videos included a grandma.

giving tasers to police is ridiculous. they are using it as a toy. they are having fun with it. i dont understand why anyone would condone giving a torture device to a group of individuals with a terrible record of self control.

Exactly. And, for our American friends, the RCMP has always had a very shoddy record when it comes to police brutality. There are still several federal investigations being undertaken of prisoners dying under RCMP care.

As well, they did not even attempt to revive this individual. There is no justification for what has happened here. An individual has lost their life because of ignorance, over-aggression, and incompetence by law enforcement. I don't see how anybody could justify what has happened here.

Exactly. And, for our American friends, the RCMP has always had a very shoddy record when it comes to police brutality. There are still several federal investigations being undertaken of prisoners dying under RCMP care.

As well, they did not even attempt to revive this individual. There is no justification for what has happened here. An individual has lost their life because of ignorance, over-aggression, and incompetence by law enforcement. I don't see how anybody could justify what has happened here.

Actually if you listen he says "code-red" and no one does anything to revive him at all as you mentioned. They just....carry on doing ...nothing.

The kid was pointing to the speed limit sign down the road and he goes for his taser. If you listen to his attitude even when asking for his license/reg. "License and registration, like now!" What a ****.

the kid in that video could not have been calmer or nicer. i absolutely would have lost my cool if i were him. i was amazed at his self control. the officer just refused to listen to him.

when are these cops going to learn that if they act like a bunch of high school tough guys (who used to kick their ass in high school), they are going to end up on the internet?

EDIT: the officer was obviously mad because the passenger was intelligent enough to ask how fast he was going right from the start. the officer needed to meet his quota and pulled over the first "kid" he saw. he had no idea how fast he was going, and they both knew it.

the kid in that video could not have been calmer or nicer. i absolutely would have lost my cool if i were him. i was amazed at his self control. the officer just refused to listen to him.

when are these cops going to learn that if they act like a bunch of high school tough guys (who used to kick their ass in high school), they are going to end up on the internet?

EDIT: the officer was obviously mad because the passenger was intelligent enough to ask how fast he was going right from the start. the officer needed to meet his quota and pulled over the first "kid" he saw. he had no idea how fast he was going, and they both knew it.

You would think they would remember they are on camera, not just for their protection, but for ours as well.

The kid was pretty cool about it, even after being tased and landing HARD.

I find it funny that they always tell you to 'roll over on your stomach' while they are still tasing you. Um, hello, muscles are immobilized, can't move, no matter how much juice you pump in to me, until you stop, I can't roll over dipsh1t...

You would think they would remember they are on camera, not just for their protection, but for ours as well.

The kid was pretty cool about it, even after being tased and landing HARD.

I find it funny that they always tell you to 'roll over on your stomach' while they are still tasing you. Um, hello, muscles are immobilized, can't move, no matter how much juice you pump in to me, until you stop, I can't roll over dipsh1t...

I hope that one ends up in court.

X

this happened right outside where I live, the kid's pressing charges, the officer is still on duty... he's a cokk sucking prick, who needs his ass beat, the kid shoulda followed instructions and then took the ass hole to court.

Dumbass tried to walk away from cop and didn't do what he said. Its no secret some cops seem to have a hardon to tazer people. Important lesson is fight your battle in the courtroom. Although I guess if dude gets some money the tazering was worth it.

Dumbass tried to walk away from cop and didn't do what he said. Its no secret some cops seem to have a hardon to tazer people. Important lesson is fight your battle in the courtroom. Although I guess if dude gets some money the tazering was worth it.

If the cop was not carrying the tazer, do you think he would have drawn his gun that fast? I don't think so either. They are far to fast to pull and use the 'less than lethal' device. To me it looked like he was trying to talk (reasonably) with the cop until it came out. Then he walked (not ran) away saying 'you are being unreasonable', at which I don't disagree.

Dumbass tried to walk away from cop and didn't do what he said. Its no secret some cops seem to have a hardon to tazer people. Important lesson is fight your battle in the courtroom. Although I guess if dude gets some money the tazering was worth it.